DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Naik et al. (US Application 2023/0199641, hereinafter Naik).
Regarding claims 1, 17,19, Naik discloses a method, an apparatus(Figs. 1-16) comprising:
determining, by a wireless device operating in an uplink multi-user mode, that a condition exists to prompt transmitting an unsolicited low latency presence frame to an access point soliciting transmission of a solicited control frame from the access point; transmitting the unsolicited low latency presence frame to the access point, the unsolicited low latency presence frame comprising an indication of a type of solicited control frame requested by the wireless device(Abstract, [0036],[0144],[0147], which recites the AP MLD may initiate the TWT transfer by transmitting a TWT transfer indication, at time t.sub.2, on Link2. For example, such TWT transfer indication may signal that a (unsolicited) TWT agreement is being transferred to Link2);
receiving a solicited control frame from the access point, the solicited control frame comprising information relating to the unsolicited low latency presence frame([0099],[0104],[0155]-[0157],[0163], which recites the AP MLD transmits a control frame on Link2 soliciting a response from the non-AP MLD. In some implementations, the control frame may be a BSRP frame that solicits a buffer status report (BSR) in response thereto. In some other implementations, the control frame may be an MU-RTS frame that solicits a clear-to-send (CTS) in response thereto. Still further, in some implementations, the control frame may be a trigger frame that solicits a TB PPDU in response thereto. performing a timing measurement operation that indicates a delay between the second time and the start of the r-TWT SP, and refraining from responding to the control frame responsive to the timing measurement operation indicating that the delay is less than a threshold duration); and
performing an action based on the received solicited control frame([0099],[0104],[0155]-[0157],[0163], which recites the AP MLD transmits a control frame on Link2 soliciting a response from the non-AP MLD. In some implementations, the control frame may be a BSRP frame that solicits a buffer status report (BSR) in response thereto. In some other implementations, the control frame may be an MU-RTS frame that solicits a clear-to-send (CTS) in response thereto. Still further, in some implementations, the control frame may be a trigger frame that solicits a TB PPDU in response thereto. performing a timing measurement operation that indicates a delay between the second time and the start of the r-TWT SP, and refraining from responding to the control frame responsive to the timing measurement operation indicating that the delay is less than a threshold duration)ss.
Regarding claims 2, 20, Naik discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: the condition comprises the wireless device having received low latency uplink data for transmission, the low latency uplink data associated with an access category (AC) or traffic identifier (TID) that is exempted from enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) operation, the wireless device having received the low latency uplink data during a transmission opportunity (TXOP) for the access point, the unsolicited low latency presence frame is transmitted with a block acknowledgement in response to receiving a downlink data unit from the access point during the TXOP, and the unsolicited low latency presence frame comprises an indication of the access category of the low latency uplink data for transmission(Abstract,[0032]-[0034]).
Regarding claim 3, Naik discloses the method of claim 2, further comprising: receiving, from the access point, a trigger frame (TF) for the AC or TID identified in the unsolicited low latency presence frame, the TF initiating an opportunity for the wireless device to transmit the low latency uplink data(Abstract,[0032]-[0034]) .
Regarding claim 4, Naik discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises the wireless device having received a data unit from the access point and the wireless device having determined that a channel quality between the wireless device and the access point is below a threshold([0061],[0088],[0098]).
Regarding claim 5, Naik discloses the method of claim 4, further comprising: configuring a block acknowledgement to indicate a poor channel quality; configuring the unsolicited low latency presence frame to request sounding from the access point; and transmitting the unsolicited low latency presence frame with the block acknowledgment to the access point in response to receiving the data unit([0085],[0093]-[0094]).
Regarding claim 6, Naik discloses the method of claim 4, further comprising: receiving, from the access point, a null data packet (NDP) announcement; receiving, from the access point, a sounding NDP; and transmitting, to the access point, a channel quality indicator based on one or more characteristics of the sounding NDP([0035],[0121],[0126]).
Regarding claim 7, Naik discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the sounding NDP is received after a short interframe space (SIFS) period([0035],[0121],[0126]).
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the NDP announcement comprises a single unit information field for single-user mode or multiple user information fields for multi-user mode([0035],[0121],[0126]).
Regarding claim 9, Naik discloses the method of claim 6, further comprising: receiving, after receiving the sounding NDP, a beamforming report poll (BFRP) trigger message, wherein transmission of the channel quality indicator is based on the one or more characteristics of the sounding NDP and the BFRP trigger message([0035],[0121],[0126]).
Regarding claim 10, Naik discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises the wireless device determining to initiate ranging or sensing, the method further comprising: transmitting, to the access point, the unsolicited low latency presence frame with information to request a solicited sensing or ranging polling trigger frame; receiving, in response to the unsolicited low latency presence frame, a ranging or sensing polling trigger frame; and transmitting, in response to receiving the ranging or sensing polling trigger frame, a clear-to-send (CTS) message([0061],[0099]).
Regarding claim 11, Naik discloses the method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving a Sensing Initiator to Sensing Responder (SI2SR) sounding trigger frame from the access point; and transmitting an SI2SR NDP to the access point([0061],[0099]).
Regarding claim 12, Naik discloses the method of claim 10, wherein the CTS message comprises a CTS-to-self message([0061],[0099]).
Regarding claim 13, Naik discloses the method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving, from the access point, a sensing responder to sounding initiator trigger frame; and transmitting, to the access point, a sensing responder to sounding initiator null data packet (NDP) ([0035],[0121],[0126]).
Regarding claims 14, 18, Naik discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises the wireless device having received low latency data for transmission, the wireless device having received the low latency data during a transmission opportunity (TXOP) for the access point(Abstract,[0032]-[0034]).
, Naik discloses the method of claim 14, wherein the unsolicited low latency presence frame is transmitted with a block acknowledgement in response to receiving a downlink data unit from the access point during the TXOP, and wherein the unsolicited low latency presence frame comprises an indication requesting a solicited grant of the TXOP(Abstract,[0032]-[0034]).
Regarding claim 16, Naik discloses the method of claim 14, further comprising: receiving, from the access point, a solicited grant control frame, the solicited grant control frame granting the wireless device a remaining portion of the TXOP; and transmitting the low latency data during the TXOP(Abstract,[0032]-[0034]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DADY CHERY whose telephone number is (571)270-1207. The examiner can normally be reached M to T, 8 am to 5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Moo Jeong can be reached at 571-272-9617. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DADY CHERY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2418
Prosecution Insights